When the glass is full… even tiny decisions feel heavy
(Understanding decision fatigue and December overwhelm in Cheltenham and Gloucestershire)

As we move through December, many people describe feeling more overwhelmed, distracted or emotionally stretched — even when life hasn’t changed dramatically.

And there’s a psychological reason for this.

Most people assume overwhelm comes from big tasks or major stressors.

But more often, it’s the accumulation of tiny decisions that creates what we call decision fatigue — a quiet but powerful drain on the mind.

“Have I forgotten something?”
“What needs sorting next?”
“Who do I still need to reply to?”
“What have I missed?”

These small questions add up, increasing the mental load and lowering emotional capacity.

It’s one of the most common patterns people talk to me about in hypnotherapy sessions here in Cheltenham and Gloucester.

And this is where a metaphor or analogy becomes useful.

Imagine your mind is a glass.

All year long, you pour things into it — work, home life, emotions, responsibilities, expectations.
Despite everything, most of the year you carry that glass steadily.

Then December arrives.

December doesn’t necessarily add more into the glass…
but it shakes the glass.

And shaking changes everything.

Shaking looks like:

– extra micro-decisions
– interruptions
– seasonal expectations
– juggling other people’s needs
– the pressure to remember everything
– the fear of dropping a ball.

None of these things fill the glass.
They simply disturb what’s already there.

And when a full glass is being shaken, even tiny tasks can feel heavy.

This is why so many people feel December overwhelm without anything “big” actually happening — it’s the frequency of the shaking, not the size of the load.

If this part resonates, you may also find my article on procrastination helpful — you can read it here.

Someone always says:
“That’s all well and good, but you can’t stop life adding things to the glass.”

And they’re right.

You can’t stop responsibilities.
You can’t freeze December.
You can’t clear the decks entirely.

But you were never meant to empty the glass.

You were meant to steady it.

Because overwhelm rarely comes from the contents.
It comes from the shaking.

And steadying the glass doesn’t require dramatic life changes.
It looks like:

— reducing unnecessary micro-decisions
— slowing your internal pace by even 5%
— choosing one priority instead of ten
— letting some things be ‘good enough’
— allowing certain tasks to roll into January
— not piling emotional pressure on top of practical tasks.

This is often what helps people most in my work: not emptying the mind, but steadying it enough that clarity returns.

If you’re curious about how emotional capacity works, I talk more about it here.

And sometimes, that steadiness takes just five minutes.

Five minutes to regroup.
Five minutes to take one slow breath.
Five minutes to sit quietly and recall a memory your body recognises as calm —a moment where everything felt steady, warm or grounded.

You’re not emptying the glass.
You’re simply letting the shaking settle.

And when the glass steadies, even the smallest decisions feel lighter again.

If December has felt heavy this year, nothing is wrong with you.
Your mind is full…
and life is shaking the glass.

You can learn more about Phoenix Hypnotherapy and how I support people with overwhelm and anxiety here .

But for now I wish everyone reading this a very Happy Christmas.